A gas and liquid mixture generation apparatus, such as an air bubble generation apparatus for generating fine air bubbles into a volume of liquid, has been conventionally expected to have a wide range of applications in different fields. Specifically, in one example, such an apparatus may be utilized to dissolve a volume of atmospheric air or other gases (such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen) in a volume of water (such as tap water, sea water, river water, lake water and purging water) or other liquid in an efficient manner for contribution to modifying liquid properties, purifying and enhancing water quality, and restoring aqueous environment. In addition to the above, there are some other possible applications in aquatic farming and breeding industry and general household use (such as in a bath room, kitchen and lavatory).
There have been suggested many different types of such air bubble generation apparatuses for generating fine air bubbles. Specifically, one such exemplary apparatus is a spinning type fine air bubble generation apparatus comprising: a container body having a space in a cylindrical or megaphone-like configuration having a bottom; a pressurized liquid introduction port opening at a part of a circumferential inner wall surface of the container body in a tangential direction relative to the inner wall; a gas introduction aperture opening at a bottom of the container body; and a spinning gas and liquid mixture delivery port opening at a tip of the container body (see Patent document 1).
In the above air bubble generation apparatus of the prior art, an operation thereof has been described as follows. Specifically, a volume of pressurized liquid is fed under a pressure through the pressurized liquid introduction port to cause a spinning flow inside the container body, which in turn produces a zone of a negative pressure around and along an axis of the cylindrical tube. Due to the presence of the negative pressure, a volume of gas is suctioned through the gas introduction port and as the gas flows past around and along the axis of the tube defining a lowest pressure zone, a narrow string-like spinning gas cavity is developed. The spinning gas cavity is torn apart by the pressurized liquid from the pressurized liquid introduction port, and in this event the fine air bubbles can be generated.
Further, a mist generation apparatus can be constructed by employing a similar structure to that of the air bubble generation apparatus described above. The mist generation apparatus may be applied diversely as described below. For example, the mist generation apparatus may be applied to desalination of the sea water and salt refining associated therewith. This is intended to separate the water content and the portion of salt and the like from each other by atomizing a volume of sea water into fine particles of mist and then heating the mist to allow the water content to evaporate instantly. The evaporated water content may be cooled to form a volume of plain water, while the salt can be produced at the same time.
The above apparatus may be similarly applicable in refining for fine powder of materials. This is intended to produce fine powder of materials by atomizing a volume of solvent mixed with an amount of metal, painting material, cosmetic material and the like to form fine particles of mist and drying thus finely atomized liquid drops instantly by bringing a hot air into contact with them.
In addition, the above apparatus may be similarly applicable to an environmental control for a greenhouse cultivation facility and the like. In this application, specifically the apparatus may serve for such operation as humidification, temperature control, water supply and so on for cultivated plants and the like.
Yet further, the above apparatus may be similarly applicable to a plant environmental sanitation control (such as, bacteria elimination, deodorization, odor elimination, bactericidal cleaning, temperature and moisture control, and measures against dust, in a space). This means that using the above apparatus in combination with a drug solution allows to accomplish the bacteria elimination, cleaning, odor elimination and temperature and moisture control in the space inside the target environment or facility (such as, inside a plant for food or for drugs and medicines, a medical facility, a distribution facility, a stable, a vehicle and the like).
The above mist generation apparatus may be also applicable to an environmental control for controlling a spatial environment (such as, a fairground and a working site). In this application, the apparatus is operable effectively for cooling down a high-temperature condition developed from a heat-island phenomenon, as measures to prevent heat stroke, and for managing a high temperature condition due to heat from displays. Specifically, in summer time, the control (cooling down, suppressing dusts) of the environment of the site or space containing a crowd of people gathering together may be provided by releasing finely atomized particles of mist into the space.
Further, the above apparatus may be used in disaster prevention and fire control facilities. In this application, the apparatus may be used as a dust suppressing device for preventing an accidental explosion of dust or as a device substituting for a sprinkler head (that can provide a comparative effect only with a small amount of water).
Yet further, the above apparatus may be applicable to health-care equipment, for example, to control a temperature or moisture and to provide a mist shower using a hot water.
In addition to those, the above apparatus is applicable to a recycling business from the viewpoint of the environmental issues. Specifically, the finely atomized particles of mist may be sprayed against a toxic emission gas discharging to the atmosphere from chemical plants, industrial waste incineration facilities, sludge incineration facility and the like so that the toxic gas can be adsorbed to a water content of the mist for collection and further handling.    [Patent document] International Patent Laid-open Publication No. WO00/69550, Booklet (FIG. 1)